Local Young Actress Stars in New BBC Drama with Star-Studded Cast
27.04.2026
Local young actress Rose McDermott, 13, from the Wirral, is celebrating her first professional TV role as she appears in BBC One’s new drama The Cage.
Rose is represented by Scream Management, a talent agency based at MediaCity. Senior Agent Jess Bell put Rose forward for the role after seeing her standout performance during one of the agency’s acting workshops.
Created and written by BAFTA‑nominated Tony Schumacher (The Responder) and directed by Al Mackay (Kidnapped, Without Sin), the series is filmed and set in Liverpool. It follows two casino workers who discover they’re stealing from the same safe, pulling them into a dangerous web involving the police and a local gangster.
Rose stars alongside a high‑profile cast including Sheridan Smith (Cilla, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps) and Michael Socha (This is England, The Gallows Pole). She plays Ruby, the daughter of Sheridan Smith’s character, Leanne. Casting was led by Shaheen Baig (Adolescence, The Immortal Man).
A pupil at Birkenhead High School Academy, Rose is also a passionate footballer, playing for both Wirral and Wrexham.
Rose said:
“Being cast in The Cage as my very first professional role is something I will cherish forever. The entire experience has been beyond anything I could have imagined; being on set, bringing Ruby to life and working alongside such incredibly talented people has been a dream.”
Her parents added:
“Watching Rose film her debut role has been one of the proudest moments of our lives. Seeing her hold her own alongside such talented and experienced actors is something we will never forget.”
The Cage aired this Sunday, 26 April at 9pm on BBC One, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer.
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